6 BWR dancers chosen for intensive programs

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Six dancers from Ballet Western Reserve have been selected to train with top ballet companies and schools this summer.

Every January and February, the nation’s top programs travel to various cities to audition dancers for their intensive summer programs.

BWR dancers traveled to Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Cincinnati for auditions. Six of them — an unusually high number — were selected to spend up to four weeks training with top instructors while staying in dorms

Caroline Ciferno, 16, a BWR Senior Company member from Howland, will attend American Ballet Theater’s North Carolina intensive program. She was also accepted to the Colorado Ballet program.

Maeli Foley, 16, a Senior Company member from Canfield, will attend the Cincinnati Ballet program. She was also accepted into Point Park University’s summer program.

Lily Gelfand, 16, a Senior Company member from Boardman, was accepted into three programs, including the Mark Morris Dance Group. She plans to attend Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago and the Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary program in New York City.

Nicole Noakes, 14, a Senior Company member from Canfield, will attend the Atlanta Ballet program as well as The Rock School in Philadelphia. She was also accepted by Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.

Charli Littleton, 14, a Junior Company member from North Lima, will accepted by the American Ballet Theater’s Texas program, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and BalletMet in Columbus. She’ll be attending BalletMet’s program.

Daria Sansoterra, 11, of Canfield was accepted into Interlochen’s program for ballet and violin.

“We are so proud of the accomplishments of these young dancers,” BWR Artistic Director Virginia Hartman said. “These are top schools in the nation and often these intensives are the first step in moving toward a professional career in the highly-competitive ballet world.”

Hartman, formerly a professional dancer in the Atlanta Ballet and Richmond Ballet, guided the students through the audition process.

She will be attending American Ballet Theater’s professional program this summer in New York City to continue her certification process to teach the ABT curriculum at Ballet Western Reserve — the only ballet school in the region to have such a designation.

BWR will hold its own Summer Intensive program for intermediate and advanced students June 11-21.

Among the master guest instructors are former Atlanta Ballet dancer Michael French, and Broadway performer John Scacchetti.

For more information go tobwr.org. To register for the Summer Intensive and for fall classes, call BWR at 330-744-1934.